Once daylight savings time kicks in during autumn and runs through the winter, pedestrians need to be extremely careful when crossing the road.
During this time of year there’s a greater chance of a pedestrian-vehicle accidents. Recently in Scarborough, a 38-year-old woman was involved in a hit and run after she struck a pedestrian crossing the road while she was making a left turn. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and the driver was later charged with obstructing a peace officer and failing to stop at scene of accident causing bodily harm.
In 2012, there were 312 pedestrian fatalities, which accounts for 15 per cent of the deaths on Canada’s roads, according to Transport Canada’s Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics. This is a slight drop from 321 pedestrian deaths in 2011, but it continues to be a concerning issue.
One tactic Queen’s Park is considering to remedy the situation is by lowering speed limits in Ontario cities or towns. This could give both drivers and pedestrians more time to react, which could also result in a lower force of impact. While countdown crosswalks may have been implemented to improve the safety of pedestrians, recent studies have shown that these crosswalks may be doing just the opposite.
Drivers need to be aware of pedestrians on the road, but pedestrians need to also do their part to ensure their safety. Here are some tips for pedestrians to stay safe while crossing the road.
What to do:
- When you need to cross the road, make sure you do so at a designated crosswalk or intersection. Before taking a step off the sidewalk, ensure that there are no cars nearby or that drivers see you and have come to a stop.
- The classic advice you were taught as a child before crossing the road continues to hold true. Don’t forget to look both ways to ensure there are no incoming cars before crossing.
- Always walk on the sidewalk. If this isn’t an option, make sure you’re walking on the side of the road and facing traffic.
- If you plan to stay out late, wear reflective clothing or bright colours so other drivers can easily spot you at night.
- If you’re a senior, you may want to consider walking in groups since this way you can all watch out for each other and there’s greater visibility.
- When walking in a parking lot, always be aware of vehicles backing up and avoid crossing behind parked cars if there’s a driver inside.
What not to do:
- Don’t walk across the street with headphones blasting to the point where you’re unable to hear anything. Being able to hear your surroundings notifies you of any possible dangers.
- Don’t text or look down at your cellphone while crossing the road. Whether you see an approaching car or a cyclist helps you determine when it’s safe to cross.
- Don’t rush across the street to catch a crosswalk countdown. There’s a chance that a driver may not see you and they may not be able to react in time.
- Don’t let your young child cross the road alone. While crossing, make sure you hold their hand so they don’t dart out into oncoming traffic.
- Don’t let your child play near the road. If a ball rolls onto the street, it can be dangerous for both the child and the driver.
Motor vehicle accidents happen and accident benefits are available to anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident regardless of who caused the accident. The personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have been dealing with all accident related issues throughout Ontario for over 45 years. We know how to get you the compensation that you deserve and get your life back in order after being in a car accident. Call us at 416-920-4242, set up a free consultation, and come speak with us.
Greg Neinstein
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